A couple of disadvantages of a "kitty door"!

[grsthegreat]

Soon, people will have implanted chips

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Not me, only "chips" I'll have are made out of potatoes!

Blazer likes to lick the potato masher, I'm sure he would also like chips/fries too!

I got the double door to help with the drafts, but 20+ mph winds are a bit more than a "draft" I'm thinking of building a entryway kinda like this ... Yellow is my exterior wall, green are the two flaps, black would be the baffles to keep the wind off the flaps/doors ...

 

[ponytug]

Not me, only "chips" I'll have are made out of potatoes!

Blazer likes to lick the potato masher, I'm sure he would also like chips/fries too!

I got the double door to help with the drafts, but 20+ mph winds are a bit more than a "draft" I'm thinking of building a entryway kinda like this ... Yellow is my exterior wall, green are the two flaps, black would be the baffles to keep the wind off the flaps/doors ...

View attachment 4301940

Why not more of an air lock style, with two cat flaps separated by more than a cat length? (Twice the wind resistance)

It looks like you have some great (and lucky) cats.

All the best, Peter

 

[Shawn T. W.]

The problem isn't so much when the cats are going through the door, but the wind will open both flaps like in the first picture ... Being separated wouldn't stop that, unless I put an additional door on the outside of the baffle (like the red line) ... I'm hoping that the snail shell type baffle will slow or stop the wind from hitting and opening even one flap ... The cats would have to kinda go through a maze following the purple route ... Which hopefully will stop the wind ... I get up to 50 mph wind at times!

While the flaps are just flexible plastic, they only "seal" at the top hinge, and the bottom magnetic strip when closed, there is a tiny gap on the sides about the width of a couple pieces of bond/copy paper, so even closed, they don't offer much if any "insulation" features .., but if I can keep them closed when the cats are not going through, and not have a 20+ MPH wind blowing into my house, it would be a good thing.

This is what I have through my wall now https://www.chewy.com/petsafe-wall-entry-dual-flap-pet-door/dp/185818

 

[grsthegreat]

Put 7 more jogs in it…make it a cat mase

 

[Midniteoyl]

Buisness idea!

A Cat door with a facial (feline) recognition activated switch to unlock the latch.

Not my cat? (and ONLY my cat ;-), No tickky, no washy)

They have ones with collar RFID tags that unlock only when that tag gets close enough.

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[grsthegreat]

Anything hanging off my cats collar is gone in a few days. Thats why i went with chip reading door. Had it for nearly a year now. Works great.

 

[CalG]

They have ones with collar RFID tags that unlock only when that tag gets close enough.

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

That won't keep them from dropping mice on your bed sheets!

 

[CalG]

The problem isn't so much when the cats are going through the door, but the wind will open both flaps like in the first picture ... Being separated wouldn't stop that, unless I put an additional door on the outside of the baffle (like the red line) ... I'm hoping that the snail shell type baffle will slow or stop the wind from hitting and opening even one flap ... The cats would have to kinda go through a maze following the purple route ... Which hopefully will stop the wind ... I get up to 50 mph wind at times!

View attachment 4301947

While the flaps are just flexible plastic, they only "seal" at the top hinge, and the bottom magnetic strip when closed, there is a tiny gap on the sides about the width of a couple pieces of bond/copy paper, so even closed, they don't offer much if any "insulation" features .., but if I can keep them closed when the cats are not going through, and not have a 20+ MPH wind blowing into my house, it would be a good thing.

This is what I have through my wall now https://www.chewy.com/petsafe-wall-entry-dual-flap-pet-door/dp/185818

Check out how many room air exchanges are suggested for a "healthy House".

That "20 mph wind" is a sign of HEALTH!

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Well, "normally" I'm not even home, when I am, I'm mostly outside, if I'm not sleeping. ... But I'm not paying to heat and cool the outside, just the inside ... I don't need an 8" X 12" opening open ...

 

[Oaktree]

Check out how many room air exchanges are suggested for a "healthy House".

That "20 mph wind" is a sign of HEALTH!

My house is 200 years old, it's "healthy" enough already!

 

[BnRidge]

This was our solution to the cat and cold. Insulated, long airlock, then a second, then a place to stay up off the floor. She didn't hesitate using it. Maybe it could be altered as an entrance only.

 

[hayden]

We had to finally close off a cat door that we had because the cat kept bringing home live creatures. They would get away from her and disappear into the basement. We had lots of chipmunks, gray squirrels, and all sorts of birds.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

BnRidge, I like that idea, Thank you.

I know they are bringing there master a treat ... Maybe I can train them without hurting there feelings that I don't want them inside, dead or alive!

 

[BackRoad]

Kitty Kondo for our feral cats. Made 2 years ago from a cut IBC liner, where I used the top elsewhere to cover firewood.

The inside has 4 smaller totes (for kitty rooms) packed the walls, plus top and bottom with straw for insulation and added an OSB outer wall.

 

[CliffordK]

Buisness idea!

A Cat door with a facial (feline) recognition activated switch to unlock the latch.

Not my cat? (and ONLY my cat ;-), No tickky, no washy)

A few years ago I got a cat door that could be programmed to my cat's microchip. Unfortunately it seemed to require the cat to mash its face up against the window and hold it there for a few seconds. It just never became logical for the cats.

Hopefully they've improved them.

There are also canine versions available.

 

[lman]

Our cats sleep in the barn with the horses. They have never complained.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

I got home late this morning... After lunch I got started on what I figured would be an hour or so project of building a kitty maze/baffle. . . As normal it took me all afternoon ... I didn't really have a written out plan, just a vague plan in my head!

I took a couple of measurements of the door area, and what wood I had kicking around . . . And started cutting and nailing wood together!

The kitties will have to come in and follow the purple arrow to get to the double kitty door ... It is roughly 30" X 24"X 26"-28" high as the roof has a slight slope to it ... I ripped 2X4'S for most of the "frame" nailed on the 1/2" plywood ... The roof/lid is 3/4" plywood, and hinged so I can add or remove the shield when I'm gone ...

Then I carried it down stairs and put a coat of primer on it ...

I'm hoping it's dry enough so I can put a coat of paint on it before bed ... And a second coat in the morning before I need to leave out again ...

 

[BackRoad]

Nice Mr. Shawn! What we won't do for our animals!

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Yeah, I love my kitties, originally I got them to protect my tractor from mice and rats in the barn ... Now they are my little buddies!

Dropped a sheet of 3/4" plywood on my foot ... Tired and sore, now getting ready for bed, when I took my sock off ... No wonder it hurts!

Wish I had my steel toed boots on, at least I had leather work boots on, or it could have been worse!

I did get a coat of paint on after dinner tonight, will hopefully get a second coat on in the morning ... I figure if it's gonna have to be fairly permanent, it should have paint to protect it, and it will look a little better too, not that anyone but me and the kitties will see it ...

This should hopefully keep the wind off the kitty door, and keep them shut.

Then I just gotta train them ... "No Critters In The House"!